Jim,
Your observations are, as always, helpful and to the point. Yes, I communicate with my students electronically wherever I am, on campus or elsewhere, and I'm sure the rest of our faculty do, as well. Electronic communication might very well account for less faculty presence on campus.  Further, I support strongly the development of distance learning, including hybrid courses, for the simple reason that this sort of education can be effective.  In some instances, it is more effective than the traditional face-to-face lecture format.

You wondered whether faculty presence on campus might be affected by the percentage of adjuncts on our staff.  I don't know enough about adjuncts in other departments, but in the Music Department, students are unable to tell which of our faculty are adjuncts and which are full time because our adjuncts are on campus for at least as many hours each day as our full timers. 
 
My question really WAS a request for guidance about our college's goals and aspirations. We have Celebrations of Teaching AND Faculty Research shows.  There is clearly a wish to balance both activities, but I am unclear about the weight of value accorded to each of those activities.  In the past, that decision  of balance between research and teaching seemed to be decided on an individual basis for each faculty member.  At the present time, some are wondering whether there is a shift in institutional aspirations regarding this balance.  This question is certainly asked by our junior faculty members who are seeking promotion and tenure, and it would be helpful to know how to advise them.

We are all involved in the same task of education.  I am grateful for any discussion, certainly including discussion on this listserv, that may help me do that part of my job as well as possible.
Thanks,
Janet

J. Nepkie, Ph.D.
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
Professor of Music and Music Industry
Music Department
State University of New York
College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820
(607) 436 3425
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________________________________________
From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greenberg, James ([log in to unmask])
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:07 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Holidays

Janet (and others),

Some of this may also be related to what model of education (consumer or credential) we are seen as.  Do students see us as something they consume (why should I have to go to class if I don’t want to, I’m paying for this) or as some authority that credentials them (we certify you as knowing something by bestowing this degree on you)?   In the former it makes sense to not hold class before a vacation if they don’t want us to.  In the latter is doesn’t.

The observation you make about faculty not being on campus as much as in the past certainly got my attention.  Do you think this is more about the growing number of adjuncts than about professional commitment?   From my perspective, many faculty are contacting me very early in the day (before 7 am yesterday) and very late in the day (often after midnight via email) so if what you say is true (and I believe you)  I wonder what role email and technology play into this?  How many of us communicate with our students after hours via technology?  How many of us work at home developing content, etc. more than we used to because technology enables this for us?

Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820

blog: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.blogspot.com
wiki: The 32nd Square at http://32ndsquare.wikidot.com
email: [log in to unmask]
phone: 607-436-2701
fax:   607-436-3677
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________________________________
From: Janet Nepkie <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:06:09 -0500
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Holidays

I concur wholeheartedly with Jay’s comments.
Faculty should meet their classes, with only rare exception.

There is related to an interesting change of attitude developing among some faculty that they should not be required to be on campus as much as has been generally the case in the past.  I don’t want to start a conversation that may turn into a terms and conditions discussion, but this IS a situation that is growing larger at a rapid pace and that affects our students directly.
I think it relates, in part, to our vision of what our college should be.  Are we primarily a “teaching” institute? Are we trying to re-balance our institutional goals so that we make research more important and teaching less of a central function for our institution?
I’d like some input, even some guidance about this issue.
Thanks,
Janet

Dr. J. Nepkie
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
Professor of Music and Music Industry
State University College
Oneonta, NY 13820
tele: (607) 436 3425
fax:   607 436 2718
[log in to unmask]



________________________________
From: <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:35:02 -0500
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Holidays

Sooner or later one must "draw the line" and stand behind sound and justifiable policy. Rewarding anyone (students or not) for doing what would otherwise be expected of them (part of their job) is simply bad policy.  Let's try to keep as much of the real world in academia as possible, and canceling class out of convenience is hardly the message we want to convey to the professionals and leaders of the future.  Let's try to keep as much of reality in academia as possible.  Its part of training our students for the "real world" that lies ahead.  I am in favor of avoiding slippery slopes that gradually lead to unacceptable behavior.  Sooner or later you cross a threshold after which everything is different, then you stand back and say, "how did we allow things to get this bad".
Jay
________________________________________
From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jagels, Fredric   ([log in to unmask])
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 9:47 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Holidays

Harry et al,

I found this line in that article not a little curious, “One issue Loewner wanted to stress, however, was that the target of the resolution wasn't students who skip classes, but professors who call them off.”  Some employees are  encouraged to use benefit time for the Friday after Thanksgiving or the week between Christmas and New Years because most people take that day off anyway.  Is something similar happening with students on the day before a holiday week and some profs have given in?  What is the opinion towards profs who give extra credit for attendance on such days, or tests, or quizzes?  It shouldn’t be necessary, but it reinforces the idea that “good studenting” includes attendance and the holiday, or vacation, begins when it begins-not the week before.

Rick


Rick Jagels
Education Specialist
College Assistance Migrant Program
111 Wilsbach Hall
State University of NY College at Oneonta
(607)436-2297
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From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pence, Harry ([log in to unmask])
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Holidays

Dear TBers,
Here is an interesting article on a college faculty who have taken a position against those who declare a holiday the day before the holiday really starts.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/01/28/vacation

Enjoy,
Harry


Harry E. Pence
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
SUNY Oneonta